Clock with detachable dial train unit



Jan. 25, 1955 w. TRICHEL CLOCK WITH DETACHABLE DIAL TRAIN UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1949 INVENTOR. Gary 4x19 frfc'je/f BY 1 i i L Jan. 25, 1955 e. w. TRICHEL 2,700,272

CLOCK WITH DETACHABLE DIAL TRAIN UNIT Filed July 21, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I q54 3 I 4 3 i j 12 L A! INVENTOR. E 'erraz s- IV, 77ZZ9Z United States Patent 2,700,272 #oLocK wirn DETACHA'IELE TDIAL TRAIN "Gervais W. Tric hel, Birmingham,. Mich., assignor 'to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationiJuly 21, 1949, Serial No. 105,970

4 Claims. 01. '58--53) This invention relates to improvements in instrument construction and is *acdjntinuzition in part ot my'application'gerial No. 79,573, filed March l, 1949, now'abandone It'is customary in installing instruments in'a panel to provide an openingin the panel andto mount the instrurn'erit'onthe panel with thefac'e o'f theinstrument aligned With the opening therein so'that the instrument face'rna'y be viewed from one side of the panel while its driving mechanism is "mounted on the other sideofthe p'anel. It is 'a principal object of "this invention to soniount the intrume'ntthatthe decorative portions, such as the face and hands, are permanently associated with the panel whilethedrivingmechanism isremovably carriedthereby inorder that the driving mechanism mayb'e'removed'for repairs or replacement without disfiguring the panel by exposing the opening.

It'is "a further object ofthe'invention to provide means to seal-thedriving mechanisms ofsuch instruments -in an air and dirt tight casing and to associate such-casing with the decor'ative portion of'an'instrument for ready removal therefrom.

'In many installations it is desirable to have the panel and registering face of the instrument inclined 'from 'the vertical. It is well known to 'those skilled in th'e-art however, that delicate mechanisms, such as c'loc'k mechanisms,'operate better when'mounted with the axis thereof in. a horizontal plane so that th'e thrust on thebe'arings ismain'tained at a minimum. 'ltis another object ofthe invention to provide means for so =inountingthecomponents of an instrument that the face thereof may be inclined while the driving mechanism may be maintained in a level position ancl'to provide means for "the easy removal of the mechanism for repair or replaeement.

Certain 'other advantages are obtained by "a'pplicants invention in that standardization of the "driving *mechanism may be employed for a number-of installations where the decorative portion of the instrunieh'tis not uniform. For example, whereone company manufactures'a number of automobiles havin'g different'dashboard designs 'the decorative or fa'ce p'ortion'o'fthe instruments maybe adaptedto the dashboard design whilea driving mechanism which is identical for all installations may be readily'attached'thereto. "Sucha constructionalsosimplifies repair and reduces inventories because any repairs that are required are usually needed in the driving mechahism which is the standardized portion whieh may readily be'removed and replaced.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of anas'sembledclo'ek'suitable for installation-in the'dashboard' of a vehicle;

*Fig. *2 is a vertical section of theseparatedcornponents of such a clock illustratingone 'p'ortion'oft'he clock installed in an instrument panel;

-Fig. 3 is'a vertical-elevation partly'in section of a modified'forrn of ciock; I

Fig.4 is a vertical elevation,-partly broken away,-' of 'an summonses form of clock;

Fig. "5 is a front elevation of a driving mechanism showing a modified'clutehing' means;

. Fig. '6is a rear elevation o'fthe associated clockportion showing the modified clutching 'rneans adapted to cooperate with the device of Fig. 5; g I V "Fig. 7'is a'partial vertical section showing The-modified clutch means of the clock components prior to coupling thereof;

Fig. 8 is a partial vertical-"section of the clock comsheli. 40 is carried by'ring28 2,700,272 Patented Jan. 25, 1955 Fig. 9 is apartial vertical section of the clockcornponents showing the modified clutch means in driving'relationship.

A-self-contained unit 12 of the clock includes a sealed case 20 having a driving shaft 22 projecting therefrom and a conventional clock mechanism 24 operatively connected to the shaft and carried within the case 20. A pulur'ality of lugs 26 are provided on the periphery of the case 20 for reasons to be described herein. v j g A unit '14 includes atrim ring '28havin'g a transparent crystal 30 and clock face 32 mounted'therein. The'clock face 32 has markings 34 thereon which cooperatewith 'a minute hand 36 and'an hour hand 38 to indicate'time. A

and terminatesin a'pro'jecting collar portion 42 which is adapted to receive the'case 29 of the driving mechanism. A hollow driven shaft 44 is'rotatably mounted in the face 32 and has the hourhand 38 secured thereto. A second shaft '45 is rotatably mounted within the hollow shaft 44 andhas the "minute hand 36 keyed to one'end thereof 'anda pinion 48keyed to the opposite end'thereof. A pair of parallel plates 47 and 49 are carried by shell '45 and support an idler shaft 52 which carries a relatively large spur gear 56 and has a small pinion gear 54 mounted thereon. Pinion gear 54 engages a gear 56 keyed to shaft 44. Rotationof'shaft45 rotatesminute hand 36 and through the gear'train'48, 50, shaft 52, pinion54 and gear 56 rotates the hour hand 38. Theunit 14 is secured to the panel 16 by means of screws 60and fingers 62 which en'gag'e'the case 40. g

The driven shaft 22 carried by the unit12 is provided with a hollow endportion and a pair of aligned slots64 while the driven shaft 45 of the unit 14 has a diameter suiiiciently small to penetrate the hollow end portion of the shaft 22 and is provided with a pair of aligned laterally extending pins 66 which are adapted to projectout of the slots 64. The clock units 12 and 14 may thus be brought into driving relationship by axial movement which permits shaft '45 to enter the hollow shaft 22and permits'thepins 66 to extend outofthe slots 64. The projecting collar 42 of=the shelldtl of unit '14 is provided with a plurality of bayonet slots 68, each of which is adapted to receive one of the pins 26 projecting from the case 25 of unit 12, to thereby-provide a releasable supporting connection between the case 12 and thecase 14.

The vehicle instrument panel 16 does not have the decorativeappear'ance thereof impaired when the case 12 containing the clock driving mechanism .24 is removed-tome pair for unit '14 remains instailedon the dash 16. The removal of unit 12 may be efiected'by a combination of rotary and axial movement of the case 2% relativeto the case 14 whicheffects a disengagement of the pins 26 from the bayonet slots 68 and the retraction of the drivesh'aft 22 out of driving relation with 'thedriven shaft '45. .After repairs have beenv made to the driving mechanism 24, or a-new driving mechanism substituted therefor, the case '20 maybe reassembled with the clock portion 14.by introducing a relative axial movernent'therebetween. This permits pins 26 to enter the bayonet slots 68andthe driving shaft 2'2-toe'ncompass the driven shaft 45 and connects'the latter inadriving relationship. A simple'relative rotation of the 'units suificient to move'the pins 26 circumferentially inthe bayonet slots 68 will effect a locking of'the clock components together in their assembled relationship.

lnFig. 3a modified'form of the device has beenillustrated in which the clock portion '14 has been installed in ail-inclined panel 16'. it is desirable to mount the unit 12 in'a level position with the driving shaft 22 horizontal and this has been accomplished by elongating theprojecting collar 42 and introducing a connection 70 comprising a shaft 72, a universal joint 74 at one end thereof and a universal z-joint 73 at the other end thereof to'form'a constant velocity driving connection between shaft 22 and shaft 45. The universal joint 74 carried by'one end of the connection 70 is provided with a hollow end portionzhaving aligned slots 76 adaptedto'receive pins -78 carried by shaft'22. An opening-80.isiprovided'inzthe collar-42510 facilitate :the connectionof end portion 74 with'isha'ft Collar 42' is provided with bayonet slots 68 adapted to receive pins 26 carried by unit 12.

In Fig. 4 a modified form of the invention is illustrated in which the clock portion 14 is mounted in an inclined panel and a flexible cable 90 is used to connect the driving shaft 22 and driven shaft 45. The flexible cable 90 preferably has one end thereof fixed to shaft 45and is provided with a portion 92 at the other end which is hollow and adapted to receive the shaft 22 and has aligned slots 94 to'cooperate with pins 96 carried by shaft 92 to effect a releasable driving connection. The bayonet slots 68 and opening 80 are provided in the elongated collar 42 as described with reference to Fig. 3.

In Figs. 5 through 9 a modified clock construction is illustrated in which the separable self-contained units 12 and 14 are provided with a modified form of clutching means. In Fig. 5 a front elevation of the modified unit 12 is illustrated. A clutch disc 100 is carried by the driving shaft 22 (Fig. 7) previously described with reference to Fig. 2. The clutch disc 100 has a plurality of serrations 102 provided around its periphery. In Fig. 6 a rear elevation of the clock unit 14 is illustrated. This is the unit that carries the hands and face as described with reference to Fig. 2 although they are not visible in Fig. 6 because the latter is a rear elevation. The shaft which was previously described with reference to Fig. 2 is provided in the Fig. 6 form of the device with a pair of radial arms 104 and 106 which are carried by a collar 108 keyed to shaft 45. Each of the arms 104 and 106 is provided with a driving lug 110. The driving lugs 110 are so positioned on the arms 104 and 106 respectively that the radius from the center of shaft 45 corresponds to the radius of the disc 100.

The arms 104 and 106 are yieldable and when the clock components 12 and 14 are brought together by relative axial movement to effect a coupling between the driving parts thereof the lugs 110 will automatically engage the slots 102 to effect a driving relationship between the clock components. Fig. 7 illustrates the relative position of the clutch components when they are separated but oriented so that axial movement will effect a joinder of the parts.

It is to be understood that the clock unit 14 carries the collar portion 42, previously described with reference to Fig. 2, which has bayonet slots 68 therein operable to cooperate with the lugs 26 carried by unit 12 to effect a mechanical connection between the clock units.

When the clock units 12 and 14 are moved from the Fig. 7 position into a position in which the lugs 26 are located in the bayonet slots 68 so that the two clock units are mechanically joined the clutch parts will assume the relative positions illustrated in Fig, 8 if the lugs 110 and slots 102 did not happen to be oriented. Referring to Fig. 8 it will be noted that the arms 104 and 106 are flexible and that they have been deformed by engagement of the lugs 110 with the flat surface of clutch disc 100. However, as the driving mechanism carried in clock unit 12 produces a rotation of shaft 22 and clutch disc 100 the slots 102 will rotate relative to the lugs 110 until they become oriented with the latter whereupon the resilient arms 104 and 106 will act as springs to force the lugs 110 into the slots 102 to effect a driving engagement between the clutch components. As is illustrated in Fig. 9, continued rotation of the shaft 22 and disc 100 will then, through the lugs 110 and arms 104 and 106, effect a rotation of shaft 45 and its associated clock hands.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 through 9 possesses one advantage over the driving mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 for in the latter form some difficulty might be encountered in orienting the lugs 66 with the slots 64 simultaneously with the alignment of lugs 26 with the bayonet slots 68. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 through 9 it is only necessary to insert the driving lugs 26 into locked relationship with the bayonet slots 68 and a driving connection between the clutch components is automatically assured.

I claim:

1. In a clock comprising first and second units adapted to be assembled in drive transmitting relationship, said first unit including a case supporting a driving shaft and mechanism for driving said driving shaft at a predetermined speed, said second unit including a shell, a clock face and means for designating time supported by the shell and a driven shaft drivingly connected to said means and operable to actuate said means, cooperating means carried by said case and said shell respectively and operable to provide a supporting connection for said second unit on said first unit, a resilient arm attached to one of said shafts and carrying a lug extending generally parallel to said last mentioned shaft, and a disc carried by the other of said shafts, said lug and said disc being so positioned relative to their associated case and shell that mounting of said case on said shell orients said lug with said disc so that the mounting of said case on said shell is opposed by a collision between said lug and said disc, said flexible arm being adapted to accommodate deflection of said lug in a direction parallel to said shafts to accommodate the mounting of said case on said shell, and said disc having a slot adapted to receive said lug therein under the spring influence of said resilient arm when said shafts assume a predetermined relative rotary position to orient said lug and said slot to thereby establish a drive transmitting relationship between said shafts.

2. A device for transmitting drive between a first clock unit including a shell, a dial and hands and a second clock unit including a case and a clock driving mechanism mounted therein, said units having driven and driving shafts extending therefrom respectively and cooperating means carried by said shell and said case for mounting said second unit on said first unit, said device comprising a flexible finger extending radially outwardly from one of said shafts and having a driving lug carried thereby and a cooperating notched plate carried by the other of said shafts and adapted to receive said lug in a notch therein when said lug and a notch are oriented, the flexible finger being adapted to deflect to compensate for interference between said lug and said plate when said lug is not oriented with a notch so that mounting of said case on said shell can be accomplished independently of shaft orientation and rotation of the driving shaft by said driving mechanism will eventually orient said lug with a notch to establish a driving connection between said shafts.

3. In a clock comprising two units adapted to be assembled in drive transmitting relationship, one of said units including a case supporting a driving shaft and mechanism for driving said driving shaft at a predetermined speed and the other unit including a shell, a clock face, means for designating time supported by the shell and a driven shaft drivingly connected to said means and operable to actuate said means, cooperating means carried by said case and said shell respectively and operable to provide a supporting connection between said units, a resilient arm attached to one of said shafts and having a projecting portion, and a disc carried by the other of said shafts, said projecting portion and said disc being so positioned relative to their associated case and shell that mounting of said case on said shell orients said projecting portion with said disc so that the mounting of said case on said shell is opposed by a collision between said projecting portion and said disc, said flexible arm being adapted to accommodate deflection of said projecting portion in a direction parallel to said shafts to accommodate the mounting of said case on said shell, and said disc having a slot adapted to receive said projecting portion therein under the spring influence of said resilient arm when said shafts assume a predetermined relative rotary position to orient said projecting portion and said slot to thereby establish a drive transmitting relationship between said shafts.

4. A device for transmitting drive between a first clock unit including a shell, a dial and hands and a second clock unit including a case and a clock driving mechanism mounted therein, said units having driven and driving shafts extending therefrom, respectively, and cooperating means carried by said shell and said case for mounting said second unit on said first unit, said device comprising a flexible finger extending radially outwardly from one of said shafts and having a driving element carried thereby and a cooperating notched plate carried by the other of said shafts and adapted to receive said element in a notch therein when said element and notch are oriented, the flexible finger being adapted to deflect to compensate for interference between said element and said plate when said element is not oriented with a notch so that mounting of said case on said shell can be accomplished independently of shaft alignment and rotation of the driving shaft by said driving mechanism will eventually orient said element with ahanfotch to establish a driving connection between said s ts.

(References on following page) 6 References Cited in the file of this patent 1,841,750 Matthiessen Jan. 19, 1932 H d y n- 31, 245,130 Burmann Aug. 2, 1881 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,173,704 Blanchard Feb. 29, 1916 5 379,735 France Nov. 16, 1907 1,360,778 Neel Nov. 30, 1920 

